(Prince places the ring on the finger of the Princess. She awakes.) Princess. So at last it is you, my noble Prince! (The Prince leads her to the center of the stage. Fairy music. Good fairy waves her wand and awakens the court while other fairies make a ring around the Prince and the Princess. All wake and sing, One Beautiful Day." Fairy folk shower rose petals upon Princess.) My fairest child, I have no song to give you; No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray: Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you For every day. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them, all day long: And so make life, death, and that vast for ever One grand, sweet song. NOTES When a word has more than one meaning or is used figuratively, the definition given is the one that will aid in the direct interpretation of the text. THE THROSTLE Throstle, a thrush; carol, sing; prophet, one who foretells; unchidden, without being found fault with. THE SKYLARK'S SPURS Consent, agree; lest, for fear; continued, went on; mention, say; inquired, asked; clever, bright, quick. FRANKLIN, TEACHER OF THRIFT Frugal living, being careful not to waste; sluggard, a lazy person; squander, to waste; estate, wealth, property. THE LAST LESSON IN FRENCH Prussians, German soldiers; mayor, chief officer in the town; bulletin-board, a large board on which telegrams were pasted; Alsace and Lorraine, two countries on the Rhine. Until 1871 they belonged to France; regretted, were sorry; garlanded, wreathed; "Vive la France!" Long live France! THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS Get an engagement, be hired; serenading, singing outside, under the window at night; determined, made up their minds; four points of the compass, north, east, south and west; consulted, talked with; sought, hunted. THE UGLY DUCKLING Parson, minister; venture, go; jeered, made fun of; poultry, chickens and geese; reeds, tall grasses; longing, desire; slighted, the others would have nothing to do with him; peasant, farmer. HIAWATHA'S CHILDHOOD Wigwam, an Indian hut; sinews, cords or tendons of the body; flaring, flaming brightly; flitting, moving quickly and lightly; brakes, thick, bushy places in a wood; native, what belongs to one by birth. JACKANAPES AND LOLLO Spurned, kicked; opportunity, chance; pound, about five dollars; foreseen, thought of before time; mop, hair; a common complaint, a sickness that many people have; shilling, about twenty-five cents; pence, an English penny is worth about two cents; racer, race horse; caressing, patting. OCTOBER'S BRIGHT BLUE WEATHER Rival, equal; belated, behind time; vagrant, tramp; woodbine, an ivy sometimes called the Virginia creeper; aftermath, the grass that grows after the first cutting; freighting, the leaves are carried along like freight; comrades, friends. THE BROKEN FLOWER-POT Delft, a kind of ware first made in Delft, in the Netherlands; blight, a disease that kills plants; ivory, a hard white substance somewhat like bone; nursery gardener's, where young trees and plants are raised to sell; stationers, where paper, ink and other writing materials are sold; specimen, sample. THE LEAK IN THE DIKE Sluices, gates by which the flow or water is controlled; succor, help; strickened, hurt. |